Hyogo Framework for Action: an Analysis Ten Years Later and a Prospective for Future Decades

In 2015 Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) will end its term after ten years of implementation. International community is involved in the Post-HFA consultation process towards a new post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. Although HFA has proved to be effective in enhancing disaster risk reduction strategy in many fields, disaster risk is increasing. This chapter aims at evaluating how HFA has changed the way in which Disaster Risk Reduction is conceived and managed and what could be the prospective strategy for the future decade. The chapter is organized in four sections. The first one contains a brief description of HFA main characteristics and innovative features. In the second section, an analysis of HFA impact during these ten years is carried out, underlining what priorities and activities have been really implemented in practice, what activities has been pervasively developed and what elements are still in need of further actions. The drivers of success or failure of HFA priorities and actions are identified and discussed. The third section is oriented to identify how risk scenario has changed during these ten years and what are the new needs and new occurrences emerged that should be considered in the future strategy for disaster risk reduction. For instance, the deepening of climate change problem will not only add to the existing drivers of risk new menaces, it need a decisive change in urban development approach: a significant increase in the extremes and their intensities needs for a transformed development paradigm. In the last section, main themes of a renewed approach to risk reduction are identified. Main results include: weaknesses and strengths in HFA implementation are identified; factors that appear to interfere with an integrated approach are pinpointed and discussed; emerging features of future risk scenarios are outlined; main issues of a renewed approach are illustrated.